riverECHO

Here we are in Sydney again. But this time, after three weeks in Shanghai, the city feels like a quaint and clean little town. We are staying in a hostel called Eva’s Backpackers in an area called King’s Cross, just a 15 minute walk from downtown. King’s Cross is apparently the heart of the red light district and x-rated shops, clubs and even book exchanges have found their way into every possible nook. That being said, it feels safe and our hostel is quiet and clean…ish.

Within about 6 hours of arriving on Monday we had already looked at a few vans for sale and figured out how to stay connected to the internet during our entire stay in Australia. We each purchased these little dongles that plug into a usb port and basically act as your modem through a cell phone connection. It’s not cheap but it’s necessary for us to be able to work and travel. And it will allow us to cruise around in a campervan of some sort.

There are tons of vans for sale but a majority of them seem to have made their way back to the backpacker boards every year and don’t seem well cared for. Most of the vans are listed with selling points like “comes with 4 plates and bowls” or “includes snorkeling gear and a fishing pole” or “road maps included.” Last I checked, bowls and snorkels weren’t standard engine parts. I’m sure we’ll find something reasonable but it may take some time.

We haven’t explored any new sites yet but are eager to get back to the botanical gardens and see a performance at the Opera House before too long. We also continue to be nicely surprised by how nice the Australians are, especially in this size of a city. Everyone has seemed genuinely helpful and interested. Will have more soon but for now, back to the van hunting.